ADD COOKIES

for Beefy Beet Borscht.

An old friend of mine, Mitchell Davis, cooks and writes cookbooks, well, that is, among the ten or twelve thousand other things that he does.

This is one of my faves, from his book, "The Mensch Chef, or why delicious Jewish Food isn't an Oxymoron."

It takes several hours to cook, but is always worth the wait!

Recipe:
5 or 6 pieces flanken or beef short ribs (about 4 pounds), with bones, rinsed
4 lagre yellow onions (1 1/2 lbs), sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 large turnip (1/2 lb), peeled and cubed
1 large parsnip (1/2 lb), peeled and cubed
3 medium carrots (1/2 lb), sliced
12 medium red beets (4 lbs), peeled, cut in strips
1/4 c tomato paste
juice of 8 lemons (about 1 1/4 cups)
6 to 8 tbsps sugar or to taste
1 tbsp caraway seeds
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh dill

Place the beef, onions, garlic, turnip, parsnip, carrots, beets, tomato paste, lemon juice, sugar, caraway, salt, and pepper in a 10 or 12 quart stockpot. Add about 16 cups cold water. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, about 35 minutes. Using a large spoon, skim off any froth that rises to the top. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, set the lid ajar over the pot and cook, stirring occarionally, for 3.5 hours.

I'm telling ya, it's yummy :)

As far as the pic goes, well, it's out of focus and doesn't do justice to the gorgeous crimson of the beets, oh well, I uh havent yet mastered my snapshot cookin skills...

"Non-cooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet."